I love animals and fictional animals more than humans

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So I have an issue that doesn't feel like an issue to me, even though it's not exactly "normal". I have much greater empathy for (certain) animals than I do for humans. I even find it uncomfortable to bond emotionally with a human, even my family members. Yet, it's so easy for me to connect deeply with animals. The most common ones in real life are dogs, especially dogs of people I know. In fact, I guess you could say that I have more empathy for the dogs than for their owners.

I've grown accustomed to not bonding emotionally with people, and now it just comes naturally. The only exception right now is my best friend since childhood (we're both guys). We both have Aspergers, so we understand each other's unique ways of thinking a lot better than practically anyone else we know. This only makes our friendship stronger. Also, he's pretty much the only human I know whom I truly have deep love for. I can bond with him without any struggle, but with anyone else I'd find it uncomfortable, and I naturally avoid it.

My inability to connect with people also crosses over into fiction. Ever since I was a kid, I was much more attached to animal (and non-human) characters than the humans. Because of this, I've found it very hard to get into most movies and shows, since most media has humans and humanoids as the main characters. My favorite shows are Regular Show and The Ren & Stimpy Show and my favorite movies are Ratatouille, Lilo & Stitch, The Brave Little Toaster, The Lion King, and Balto. As you can see, all of those have non-human main characters. I've become very emotionally attached to certain characters from those stories, especially if I relate to them on a deep personal level. The ones I relate to the most are Remy (Ratatouille), Gonzo (The Muppets), Stitch (Lilo & Stitch), Nick Wilde (Zootopia), Lampy (The Brave Little Toaster), and Mordecai (Regular Show).

I grew even closer with my best friend after I started comparing the two of us to Mordecai and Rigby (I'm Mordecai and he's Rigby). I actually started watching Regular Show in the first place partially because of how I saw a little of us in them. Also, because of the fact that blue jays and raccoons are highly intelligent and adaptable creatures, I started to have more love for the real life creatures, to the extent of even trying to imagine myself as a blue jay and him as a raccoon. I even have blue eyes and he has brown eyes. I also started to become attached to Gonzo and Rizzo from the Muppets, who are even more like us than Mordecai and Rigby. I also have tried to imagine the two of us as dogs, a fox and a raccoon, and other animals.

I've imagined many conversations between me and the characters I mentioned above, even trying to imagine what it would be like if they were with me. For instance, I remember when I used to watch My Little Pony as a teenager (I'm in my early 20's now), I had a huge crush on Fluttershy (who has many aspie traits like me), to the extent that I imagined her being with me everywhere. I didn't want anything to do with sex, however, because I never really wanted to have sex with anyone or any fictional character, not even if I was married. In fact, I'm actually turned off by sexy things.

Since I know fictional characters will never be truly real, I've been thinking of ways to get around my feelings. I'd been thinking of getting a dog, or even just befriending one that I can visit often. But there's one problem - I'm sensitive to loud noises (e.g. dogs barking). So whenever I'm with a dog, I have to wear earmuffs, and even then it doesn't block out all the sound. I'm also afraid that it'll turn out that I'm allergic. I also thought of having someone animate my favorite characters talking about stuff relating to me and my life (someone can make a quick animation of the character in question and an impersonator can do the voice), so it feels like they're actually talking to me.

With all this in mind, I still don't even want to have the ability to make deep emotional bonds with other people. I like not being distracted by people and not having the desire for sex. I know there might be something wrong with me, but I feel like I don't want to be "right" at all.

I would say I definitely have great empathy for animals, particularly cats, although I like dogs (and as a child, loved horses) as well. I have formed lasting friendships with other people who have pets. It is an interest that is definitely socializing for me.

Sounds like you’re a furry.
And I don’t think stitch is an animal he’s an alien right?

In all seriousness though I know plenty of people (online) who feel just like you I follow a bunch of bronies on YouTube who love Mlp.

Maybe they relate to the characters. I noticed a lot of bronies aren’t what you could call “socially acceptable?” Like you can tell their awkward.

They’re plenty of fan mlp animators on youtube.

We’re the same age, I love cartoons too and I understand when you say you can relate to them. It’s easier than real life because I can see what the character is thinking and feeling. One of my favorite animal characters is Bojack Horseman (god I love that show, I relate so much to Bojack and Diane even though she’s human.)

Do you draw? Maybe you could animate your own fluttershy

I use to
Watch regular show. My favorite cartoons would be mlp, Bojack, the loud house, Steven universe, teen titans go, Sofia the first. (I like little kids show lol)
Umm what else

I really liked that Disney rat movie too. One of my favorites.

Fluttershy is cool, but I can relate to Maud a lot more I think she would be more likely to be on the spectrum than Fluttershy just my opinion though

About getting a dog i say go for it, maybe something small so if it barks it won’t be so loud? (Don’t know much about dogs never had one)
But why not try? If your allergic don’t they have hairless dogs?

I've tried delving into the furry fandom, but I feel like I wouldn't really fit in there, either. I like ferals a lot more than anthros (the majority of furries are into anthros), and there's the fact that a sizable portion of the fandom revolves around sexual stuff (I'm actually turned off by sexy things).

I'm the same way. I feel more of a connection with animals. I think that most animals have a Sweet Pea inside of them. I especially love dogs. They love you unconditionally.

In many ways I can relate to this, although in my case I'm talking more about real life than about anything fictional. Animals are so much easier to understand and easier to befriend in my experience. They're less complex. Having lived with dogs all my life, I can honestly say that the time I have spent with them has given me more joy than 95% of the human relationships I have had in my life. I would say that only my close family (parents) and best friends (2 or 3 people) come close to rivalling the quality of companionship I gain from my dogs.

Often I consider becoming vegetarian because my love of animals and nature is so strong. And I probably will sometime in the not too distant future.

Animals are a source of unconditional love for me. I’ve never experienced unconditional love from humans. I’m glad the OP has been able to form such a strong bond with a bff.

I too prefer animals to humans; it's not that I can't empathize with humans (I feel nothing but pity and compassion for most of them), but rather that animals are so much more consistent and rational than human beings; I simply don't consider the scant benefits to be had from human contact enough to compensate for how stupidly and irrationally they act towards one.

Upon further reflection, I do remember perhaps a few friendships in childhood & a couple of friendships in adolescence that were examples of unconditional love, although short-lived.

Basenjis do not bark. Get one of those.